Why the McKenzie Method? Imagine you have the power to control your pain and the ability to do your work and daily activities. Save time and money with the McKenzie Method. Free yourself from excessive therapy sessions, expensive equipment/testing and, most importantly, surgery!

The McKenzie Method is your road map leading to a clear and reliable direction for treatment of back pain. Certified McKenzie MDT clinicians are highly trained to determine if there is a “mechanical” reason for the problem. Back pain typically can be classified into one of these three syndromes: postural (caused by continued stress on soft tissues), derangement (caused by a mechanical obstruction of an affected joint) or dysfunction (caused by structurally impaired soft tissue). Once classified, a specific plan of care can be established.

1. Are there periods in the day when you have no pain? Even 10 minutes? 

2. Is the pain confined to areas above the knee? 

3. Are you generally worse when sitting for prolonged periods or upon rising from the sitting position? 

4. Are you generally worse during or right after prolonged bending or stooping as in bed-making, vacuuming, ironing, concreting, digging or gardening? 

5. Are you generally worse when getting up in the morning, but improve after about half an hour? 

6. Are you generally worse when inactive and better when on the move? 

7. Are you generally better when walking? 

8. Are you generally better when lying face down? When testing this, you may feel worse for the first few minutes, after which time the pain subsides. In this case, the answer to the question is “yes.” 

9. Have you had several episodes of lower back pain over the past months or years? 

10. Are you able to move fully in all directions without pain between episodes? 

11. Are you pain-free between episodes? 

12. If you have pain in the buttocks or upper/lower leg, does it sometimes stop completely, even though you may still have back pain?

If you answered YES to four or more questions, there is a great chance you can benefit from MDT intervention strategies. Self-treatment principles are the ultimate goal, but hands-on manual techniques may be necessary initially to assist with your recovery. It is recommended that a comprehensive examination and evaluation by a certified MDT provider be your first step to ensure you are gaining the full benefit of specific therapeutic exercise.